Setting up a remote is not an option, unfortunately. Is there not a way to just skip the whole programming guide aspect and let me just perform strictly time-based recording? This is actually a directv box in my lab at work that already has a blaster-type sensor because it is run through a high-end Control4 switcher. I just wanted an easy way to record shows that might be beneficial for lab, or record some things on my laptop that I could keep.
Programming guide is not strictly needed. However, we set up STB channels using xmltv data. The process establishes the following:
Associating your analog video capture device, and a channel on it (channel 3 in your case) with the DirecTV channels.
Once that is done, playing, and recording, a channel involves running your analog video capture device, tuning it to channel 3, and firing IR blaster to change channel on DirecTV box.
You therefore do need to let your IR blaster learn the IR code for numbers 0, 1, 2, ..., 8, 9, for the DirecTV box.